Today at Temple

Namaste

As I try to do every Sunday I went to temple today. Ordinarily it's not really worth talking about. I go, I take darshan and prashad, enjoy the bhandara (also known as langaar, means feast) and then I go home. Sometimes I feel uplifted, like I'm buzzing with energy, other times nothing but I haven't felt like this ever. Well, I have but it's never been caused by a temple visit.

So, how do I feel? I feel... calm; sorta floaty, actually. It's a very interesting feeling because I generally only feel like this after taking very powerful painkillers. I think this is the euphoria people talk about feeling sometimes. I feel it right now. It's a delicious feeling and I had no idea that a temple visit could cause it.

I'm thinking it's because I have been doing aarti nightly for the last couple of days. It's Shravan so I should be worshipping Shiva with as much vigor as possible so I figured I'd do aarti every night to both Shiva and Durga. So maybe that's why.

Very odd feeling.

Devi Chhaya out.

Om Aim Hrim Klim Chamundaya Vicche Namaha

Chhaya Sundari

Chhaya doesn't cycle well

Namaste

I am not a confident cyclist - I used to be but it's been a very long time since that was true - and it occurred to me as I was riding, clinging to that bicycle as if my very life depended on it that seeking God is much the same. We are not generally confident - why should God be interested in us? - but nevertheless we must cling to Maa as if to let go would mean the end. If we hang on long enough, hard enough, one day She will have no choice but to pick us up in Her loving arms and cradle us against Her breast like the children we are.

And, as I wrote this another thought has just occurred to me. Today I had to get a wart frozen, which is why I was riding my bicycle (the doctor's office is not very far from home and it's better to ride a bicycle than ride a motorcycle when it comes to getting fit!) and really, the whole reason for this post. But it just occurred to me that a Guru (or God even) is like a doctor. WE go to the spiritual doctor - the guru, or God - because things are wrong and we are seeking a way to improve things. And just as the doctor burns away warts, the Guru (and God) through loving advice burns the warts of our personalities away so that we become pure and whole and better able to seek God.

Still haven't found a guru, by the way!

Om Aim Hrim Klim Chamundayai Vicche Namaha
Chhaya

(PS. Sorry for the lack of posts. I had a lot of school work and school has a bad habit of sucking the life out of me.)